The countdown can now officially begin.
The National Hockey League announced its 2010-11 regular season schedule today, and for the Tampa Bay Lightning it is highlighted by a visit by the Atlanta Thrashers on Opening Night Saturday October 9th. In a sign that the NHL has a sense of humor, the Lightning will travel to Montreal on October 13th to open the Canadiens home schedule. Head coach Guy Boucher was the former coach of the Canadiens minor league affiliate Hamilton, and was expected to be the next coach of the NHL team in many circles before he left to take the Lightning's head coaching job.
Other highlights include a 12 game homestand that will see the Lightning play at the St Pete Times forum for the entire month of February and a four game road trip out west in late October and early November. General Manager Steve Yzermans former team, the Detroit Red Wings, will make a rare appearance in Tampa on February 17th.
Here is the rest of the schedule as provided by the Lightning:
DATE DAY OPPONENT TIME
OCT. 9 Sat. Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 13 Wed. @ Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 14 Thu. @ Philadelphia 7 p.m.
Oct. 16 Sat. @ Florida 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 Mon. Dallas 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 Thu. NY Islanders 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 22 Fri. @ Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 24 Sun. Nashville 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 Wed. Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 30 Sat. @ Phoenix 8 p.m.
Nov. 3 Wed. @ Anaheim 10 p.m.
Nov. 4 Thu. @ Los Angeles 10:30 p.m.
Nov. 6 Sat. @ San Jose 10:30 p.m.
Nov. 9 Tue. Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 11 Thu. @ Washington 7 p.m.
Nov. 12 Fri. @ Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
Nov. 14 Sun. Minnesota 5 p.m.
Nov. 17 Wed. @ NY Islanders 7 p.m.
Nov. 18 Thu. @ Philadelphia 7 p.m.
Nov. 20 Sat. @ Buffalo 7 p.m.
Nov. 22 Mon. Boston 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 24 Wed. NY Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 26 Fri. @ Washington 5 p.m.
Nov. 27 Sat. Florida 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 30 Tue. @ Toronto 7 p.m.
Dec. 2 Thu. @ Boston 7 p.m.
Dec. 4 Sat. Colorado 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 7 Tue. @ Calgary 9 p.m.
Dec. 10 Fri. @ Edmonton 9 p.m.
Dec. 11 Sat. @ Vancouver 10 p.m.
Dec. 15 Wed. Atlanta 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 18 Sat. Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 20 Mon. Carolina 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 22 Wed. @ NY Islanders 7 p.m.
Dec. 23 Thu. @ NY Rangers 7 p.m.
Dec. 26 Sun. @ Atlanta 7 p.m.
Dec. 28 Tue. Boston 7:30 p.m.
Dec. 30 Thu. Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 1 Sat. NY Rangers 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 4 Tue. @ Washington 7 p.m.
Jan. 5 Wed. @ Pittsburgh 7 p.m.
DATE DAY OPPONENT TIME
Jan. 8 Sat. @ Ottawa 7 p.m.
Jan. 9 Sun. @ New Jersey 5 p.m.
Jan. 12 Wed. Washington 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 14 Fri. New Jersey 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 15 Sat. @ Carolina 7 p.m.
Jan. 18 Tue. Columbus 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 20 Thu. @ Atlanta 7 p.m.
Jan. 21 Fri. @ Florida 7:30 p.m.
Jan. 23 Sun. Atlanta 5 p.m.
Jan. 25 Tue. Toronto 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 1 Tue. Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 4 Fri. Washington 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 6 Sun. St. Louis 3 p.m.
Feb. 8 Tue. Buffalo 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 12 Sat. Carolina 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 15 Tue. Philadelphia 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 17 Thu. Detroit 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 19 Sat. Florida 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 23 Wed. Phoenix 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 25 Fri. New Jersey 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 27 Sun. @ NY Rangers 1 p.m.
Mar. 2 Wed. @ New Jersey 7 p.m.
Mar. 3 Thu. @ Boston 7 p.m.
Mar. 5 Sat. Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 7 Mon. Washington 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 9 Wed. Chicago 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 11 Fri. Ottawa 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 12 Sat. @ Florida 7 p.m.
Mar. 14 Mon. @ Toronto 7 p.m.
Mar. 17 Thu. @ Montreal 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 19 Sat. @ Ottawa 7 p.m.
Mar. 22 Tue. NY Islanders 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 25 Fri. Carolina 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 26 Sat. @ Carolina 7 p.m.
Mar. 29 Tue. Ottawa 7:30 p.m.
Mar. 31 Thu. Pittsburgh 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 2 Sat. @ Minnesota 2 p.m.
Apr. 3 Sun. @ Chicago 7 p.m.
Apr. 5 Tue. @ Buffalo 7 p.m.
Apr. 8 Fri. Florida 7:30 p.m.
Apr. 9 Sat. @ Carolina 7 p.m.
